the siberian husky

http://www.siberianhuskyclub.com/






What is the Siberian Husky?.................................

The Siberian Husky is one of the recognised sled dog breeds. The others are the Alaskan Malamute, the Eskimo dog, and the Samoyed. If you also want information of these other sled dogs you should contact their breed clubs, the addresses are available from the Kennel Club.

The Siberian Husky was the winter sled dog of the Chukchi people of Siberia. They were expected to travel fairly quickly for long distances pulling a moderate load in low temperatures, while not eating their masters out of house and home. They were welcome in the dwellings as playmates for the children and as hot water bottles at night. During the summer they ran loose, hunting and fending for themselves. This lifestyle, which continued unchanged for centuries, produced a breed of dog which retained the pack living and hunting attributes of the wolf, while being unaggressive and affectionate towards people.

The Siberian is little changed today and is still capable of fulfilling his original function and could if necessary survive in his historic self-sufficient lifestyle.

This is no problem to owners willing to adapt to and tolerate his natural instincts, but would be a liability to those who really want a more 'civilised' dog.


The Sled Dog..............................................

The history of the sled dog is long and proud, the people of the North were dependent on their dogs for protection, companionship, hunting, trapping and most of all for transportation. Sled Dogs have enabled explorers such as Byrd, Peary and Amundsen to explore the frozen wastelands of two continents, playing a vital role in bringing civilisation to the snowbound areas of the world. They have helped men in two World Wars and, of course, the Canadian Mountie owes much of his fame to his team of sled dogs.

One of the proudest chapters in sled dog history was written in 1925 when in January of that year a case of diphtheria was discovered in Nome, Alaska but the supply of serum in the city was inadequate to stave off an epidemic. A relay of twenty-two teams forged their way through the rough interior of Alaska and across the Bering Sea ice to bring supplies from Anchorage to the grateful townspeople of Nome. A statue of Balto, who led one of the teams stands to-day in New York’s Central Park and the Iditarod Trail Race is held during March of each year to commemorate the Nome Serum Run.

The first sled dog race probably occurred when two trappers challenged each other’s team and dashed their dogs over the ice fields, though the records of formal racing date back to 1908 with the first running of the All Alaska Sweepstakes, this being inspired by two children quarrelling over their dogs’ prowess. Their Father, Scotty Allan (a Scot heralding from the Spey Valley) decided that a race would settle matters. This spiralled into a 408 mile race from Nome to Candle and back. Enthusiasm for sled dog racing spread rapidly from that time firstly throughout North America and whilst few inhabitants of the Far North are dependent upon dogs for basic survival, the same intimate relationship between man and dog still exists and is evidenced through the sport of sled dog racing, which has now emerged into a major worldwide interest with teams working throughout North America, Europe and even as far as Australia and New Zealand.

In Britain the opportunity to work sled dogs is limited. Not only is the weather on the whole against the sport - wheeled rigs are the usual form of transport rather than sleds - but also workings teams are usually owner-driven and not available for hire on a short term basis. The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain schedule Working Events throughout the Rally Season .... October through March where spectators are always welcome, though anyone interested in driving their own dog team must make further investigations via local team owner/drivers, contact the SHCGB (01604 686281) for further details.

For enthusiasts a visit to a Sled Dog Race, albeit on mud covered forest trails in Great Britain can be exhilarating. The annual Sled Dog Rally in Aviemore, Scotland in January offers the best chance of seeing sled dogs in their natural surroundings (snow), though the fickle British weather has provided the opportunity to bring out the sleds elsewhere at the most unexpected times! Sled dog owners, like their dogs, are on the whole a friendly bunch and will talk for hours about their favourite subject ... the sport of sled dog racing and, more particularly, their dogs! Anyone coming to a race should make themselves known, ask for the Rally Organiser to check on where to go and see the racing and what to do out on the trail .... if a three to seven mile walk is on the itinerary.

Should this experience steel anyone on to greater objectives, many trekking teams can be found around the Ski Resorts of Europe and America. A few names are mentioned below together with a Check List of items to ask with your chosen Operator. This form of working sled dogs is entirely different from the Racing Competitions, being likened to pony trekking rather than all out speed and a trip whether for a few hours, a couple of days with overnight stays, or even longer is without doubt one of the most exhilarating experiences on snow. Working Sled Dogs is proving extremely popular as an addition to a Ski Holiday with options to drive or be purely a passenger are usually available, though anyone contemplating going out with a dog team must be generally fit and expect to do a deal of walking through snow.

Dog lovers cannot help but like Sled Dogs. Unfortunately, in times past they must have employed the same PR Company as the Wolf ... their ‘press’ is usually bad and most often wildly inaccurate. Though ‘tough’ dogs in as much as their jobs and original lifestyle have not created wimps and they can stand up for themselves when needed, Sled Dogs are on the whole good natured and fun loving characters. Each dog in the team wears an individually-fitted harness of lightweight nylon webbing, padded around the neck and shoulders. The team is hitched to a rig or sled by means of a central rope known as the ‘gangline’, other equipment includes the snub line and snow hook used to secure teams, etc., whips are NOT used. Sleds have changed little from those used in the early days of racing being of traditional design and construction, though the wheeled rigs used in the UK have evolved in recent years with the introduction of new materials and designs to help speed and performance.

Devotees to the sport are born overnight .... once bitten by the bug your two-seater sports car will almost certainly become a Transit Van and your Penthouse Flat a Country Cottage!





Breed Standard.......................................


General Appearance
Medium-sized working sled dog, quick and light on feet. Free and graceful in action, with well-furred body, erect ears and brush tail. Proportions reflect a basic balance or power, speed and endurance, never appearing so heavy or so coarse as to suggest a freighting animal, nor so light and fragile as to suggest a sprint-racing animal. Males are masculine but never coarse, bitches feminine but without weakness of structure. Muscle firm and well developed, no excess weight.

Characteristics
Medium size, moderate bone, well balanced proportions, ease and freedom of movement and good disposition..

Temperament
Friendly and gentle, alert and outgoing. Does not display traits of the guard dog, not suspicious with strangers or aggressive with other dogs but some measure of reserve expected in mature dog. Intelligent, tractable and eager disposition. An agreeable companion and willing worker.

Head and Skull
Medium size in proportion to the body, presents a finely chiselled fox-like appearance. Slightly rounded on top, tapering gradually from widest point to eyes. Muzzle medium length and width, neither snipey nor coarse, tapering gradually to rounded nose. Tip of nose to stop equidistant from stop to occiput. Stop clearly defined but not excessive. Line of the nose straight from the stop to tip. Nose black in grey, tan or black dogs; liver in copper dogs; may be flesh coloured in pure white. In Winter, pink-streaked 'snow nose' is acceptable.

Eyes
Almond-shaped moderately spaced and set obliquely. Any shade or blue or brown, one of each colour, or parti-coloours equally acceptable. Expression keen, but friendly, interested, even mischievous.

Ears
Medium size, relatively close together, triangular in shape, the height slightly greater than width at base. Set high on head, strongly erect, the inner edges being quite close together at the base, when the dog is at attention carried practically parallel. Slightly arched at the back. Thick, well-furred outside and inside, tips slightly rounded.

Mouth
Lips well pigmented, close fitting. Jaws strong with a perfect regular and complete scissor bite, ie., upper teeth closely overlapping, lower teeth set square to the jaws.

Neck
Medium length and thickness, arched and carried proudly erect when standing. When moving at a trot, extended so that the head is carried slightly forward.

Forequarters
Shoulder blade well laid back, upper arm slightly backward from point of shoulder to elbow, never perpendicular to the ground. Muscle holding shoulder to ribcage firm and well developed. Straight or loose shoulders highly undesirable. Viewed from the front, forelegs moderately spaced, parallel and straight with elbows close to the body, turning neither in nor out. Viewed from the side, pasterns slightly sloping, wrist strong but flexible. Length from elbow to ground slightly more than distance from elbows to top of withers. Bone proportionate, never heavy. Dewclaws may be removed.

Body
Straight and strong with level topline from withers to croup. Medium length, not cobby, nor slack from excessive length. In profile, body from point of shoulder to rear point of croup slightly longer than height from ground to top of withers. Chest deep and strong but not too broad, deepest point being just behind and level with elbows. Ribs well sprung from spine but flattened on sides to allow for freedom of action. Loins slightly arched, well muscled, taut and lean, narrower than ribcage with a slight tuck-up. Croup slopes away from spine at an angle, but never so steeply as to restrict thrust of hindlegs.

Hindquarters
Viewed from rear, hindlegs moderately spaced and parallel. Upper thighs well muscled and powerful, stifles well bent, hock joint well defined and set low to the ground. Dewclaws, if any, should be removed.

Feet
Oval, not long, turning neither in nor out in natural stance. Medium size, compact, well furred and slightly webbed between toes. Pads tough and thickly cushioned. Trimming or fur between toes and around feet permissible.

Tail
Well furred or round fox brush shape set on just below level of topline and usually carried over back in a graceful sickle curve when dog at attention. When carried up, tail should not curl too tightly, nor should it curl to either side of body, or snap flat against back. hair on tail of medium length and approximately same length all round. A trailing tail is normal for dog when working or in repose.

Gait/Movement
Smooth and seemingly effortless. Quick and light on feet, gaited on a loose lead at a moderately fast trot, exhibiting good reach in forequarters and good drive in hindquarters. When walking, legs move in parallel but as speed increased, gradually angling inward to single track. As paw marks converge forelegs and hindlegs carried straight wither neither elbows nor stifles turning in or out, each hindleg moving in path of foreleg on same side. Topline of back remaining firm and level during gaiting.

Coat
Double and medium in length, giving a well furred appearance, never so long as to obscure clean-cut outline of dog. Undercoat soft and dense of sufficient length to support outer coat. Guard hairs of outer coat straight and somewhat smooth-lying, never harsh, rough or shaggy, too silky nor standing off from body. Absence of undercoat during shedding normal. No trimming of fur on any part of dog, except feet.

Colour
All colours and marking, including white, allowed. Variety of marking on head is common, including many striking patterns not found in other breeds.

Size

HEIGHT - Dogs 53-60 cms. (21-23.5 ins.) at withers
- Bitches 51-56 cms. (20-22 ins.) at withers

WEIGHT - Dogs 20-27 kgs. (45-60 lbs.)
- Bitches 16-23 kgs. (35-50 lbs.)

Weight should be in proportion to height. These measurements represent the extremes in height and weight with no preference given to either extreme. A dog should not exceed 60 cms. (23 ins.) or a bitch exceed 56 cms. (22 ins.).

Faults
Any departure from the foregoing should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

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